Nursing Home Errors – Stage IV Decubitus Ulcers (Pressure Sores)
Medical Malpractice Lawyers Assisting Baltimore Residents and Others
We all value independence in our lives. As family members age, however, they may lose the ability to care for themselves. In these situations, we often have to make the difficult decision of putting them in a nursing home to ensure that they get proper care. We trust these facilities to provide quality care for our loved ones. Unfortunately, this does not always happen, and many times patients end up with avoidable, painful, and harmful conditions, such as pressure sores. If you or a loved one was injured due to the negligence of a health care provider in a nursing home, it is important to seek legal representation. At Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, our Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys know what it takes to assert the rights of elderly people who are suffering from inadequate care. We can assist nursing home residents and their families in Washington, D.C. and throughout Maryland.
Pursuing Compensation for a Severe Pressure Sore or Decubitus Ulcer Caused by Nursing Home Negligence
Pressure sores, also known as decubitus ulcers, pressure ulcers, and bedsores, are a common problem in nursing homes across the country. This skin lesion often results in extreme pain and can lead to a serious infection. A stage IV pressure sore or decubitus ulcer is a very deep sore that reaches into the muscle and down to the bone. Stage IV ulcers can cause serious health problems, including a bone infection (osteomyelitis) or blood infection (sepsis).
Pressure sores typically develop when patients are stationary in a bed or wheelchair for a long period of time without being able to move or reposition their body. These people should be repositioned nearly every two hours. Other causes may include poor nutrition, a failure to clean and debride early-stage ulcers, or a failure to provide a specialty mattress. Many times, the presence of pressure sores in nursing home patients indicates that the facility does not have an adequate care plan or is failing to implement an appropriate care plan, which should involve systematic and careful skin assessments.
In addition to negligence by the professional nursing staff, medical malpractice by physicians in the facility may cause or exacerbate a pressure sore. Lawsuits against nursing homes and the health care providers who work in them are rooted in the legal principle of negligence. In a professional setting, negligence is a failure to use the level of care that would be expected of a similarly trained and qualified professional in the same situation. Put another way, a doctor or nurse likely can be held liable for harm that results from their treatment of a patient if it would not have resulted from treatment by a competent doctor or nurse.
Under Maryland law, a strict statute of limitations determines the time period within which nursing home residents and their families may pursue a medical negligence claim against a nursing home. Complying with this time limit is critical to preserving your right to damages, which may compensate you for pain and suffering as well as the costs of the medical treatment needed to deal with the pressure sore.
Contact a Baltimore Attorney to Pursue a Medical Malpractice Claim
At Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, our Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers have extensive experience representing victims of negligence in nursing homes. You can trust that we will vigorously advocate for your rights at each step of the process. We represent people in the Washington, D.C. area and throughout Maryland, including in Baltimore City, Glen Burnie, Annapolis, Rockville, Germantown, Bethesda, Upper Marlboro, Hyattsville, Bowie, Silver Spring, Towson, Columbia, Takoma Park, and other communities throughout Anne Arundel, Montgomery, Prince George’s, and Carroll Counties. Call us at (800) 654-1949 or at (410) 654-3600, or contact us online, for a free consultation with a nursing home negligence attorney.